Ever since 2015, YouTube Music has supported independent artistes at various stages of their careers through the annual Foundry class, a global artist development programme.
Noor Chahal and Kayan, are among the 30 artists selected from all over the world to be part of the Foundry class of 2022. This year’s class represents 15 countries spanning a variety of genres.
“Foundry gives independent artists a springboard to success and we’re excited to support such emerging artists and reduce barriers along their journey,” said Pawan Agarwal, director, music partnerships (India and South Asia), YouTube, in a public statement. “Helping discover and break new artists, while helping them navigate every stage of their career is one of YouTube Music’s core goals. This is especially important for independent artists, who are navigating today’s increasingly digital landscape to find stability, creative fulfilment, and a global community of fans.”
So far, YouTube Music’s Foundry class has supported the careers of more than 250 independent artistes including India’s LostStories and Seedhe Maut along with international names such as Dua Lipa, ROSALÍA, Clairo, Dave, ENNY, Eladio Carrion, girl in red, Gunna, Kenny Beats and more.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Agarwal elaborated on the programme’s offerings which includes partner strategy, marketing promotion, and seed funding to develop new content. Artistes part of the Foundry class will receive development support for six (or more) months. Participants will understand and incorporate best practices to grow and engage audiences along with marketing promotions and other opportunities.